The Blackthorne mansion had always carried an air of power and mystery, but tonight, something felt different. There was an unseen force weaving its way through the grand halls—a game unfolding in the shadows, and Eleanor was at its center.
She couldn't sleep.
Not after what had happened. Not after Isla.
Lying in the grand bed that once felt suffocating, Eleanor turned onto her side, her mind replaying Alexander's words.
"She was meant to replace you."
The thought made her skin crawl.
Alexander's presence beside her was steady, his breathing calm, but she knew he was awake. He always was.
"You never told me the whole truth," she whispered into the dark.
A beat of silence. Then—
"I never lied to you either." His voice was low, measured.
Eleanor turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "That's not the same thing."
A shift in the bed. The next thing she knew, Alexander was leaning over her, his piercing blue eyes glowing under the moonlight.
"Does it matter?" His voice was dangerously soft. "She isn't you. She never will be."
Eleanor swallowed, her heart betraying her with its rapid beat. "But she was created to be me. Someone out there wanted me gone. And you let it happen."
Alexander's jaw tightened. "I stopped it."
"You bought her," she countered. "You didn't stop anything."
A muscle ticked in his jaw. "Would you rather I let Lucian have her?"
At the mention of Lucian Vale, Eleanor felt a chill run through her. That man—there was something dangerous about him. He knew too much, played too well.
And he had looked at Isla like he knew exactly who she was.
Eleanor sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know what to believe anymore."
Alexander exhaled, his fingers trailing lightly over her wrist. "Then stop thinking."
Before she could respond, he dipped his head, his lips brushing against her pulse point. A soft gasp escaped her as a shiver traveled down her spine.
"Alexander—"
"Shh," he murmured against her skin, his grip tightening. "For once, just feel."
It was a dangerous game. But at that moment, Eleanor was tired of fighting.
So she let herself fall.
---
The Next Morning – Isla's Room
Isla stood in front of the mirror, studying herself. Every angle, every shadow of her face was identical to Eleanor's. But where Eleanor's eyes held fire, Isla's held ice.
A knock on the door.
She turned slowly as Lucian stepped in, his smirk already in place.
"You look like a queen," he murmured, stepping closer. "Pity the throne is already taken."
Isla tilted her head. "For now."
Lucian chuckled, tracing a finger along the edge of the vanity. "You're playing a dangerous game, darling."
She smirked. "So are you."
Lucian's emerald eyes darkened with amusement. "Tell me, Isla—are you here to destroy her?"
Isla met his gaze, a slow, knowing smile spreading across her lips.
"I'm here to become her."
Lucian let out a low, pleased laugh. "Now this is going to be fun."
---
Next Chapter: A Game of Shadows
As Eleanor and Alexander grow closer, Isla begins making her moves. With Lucian whispering in her ear, secrets unravel, and the game takes a dangerous turn.
Who will make the first fatal mistake